In brief: Spartans toss money at Izzo

College basketball: Tom Izzo vowed he would be a “lifer” at Michigan State after turning down a chance last summer to coach in the NBA.

Michigan State just made life a lot more comfortable for Izzo.

Izzo’s newly amended contract gives him a $500,000 raise – increasing his annual compensation to $3.49 million – and use of a private plane for up to 25 hours each year for personal use.

“Tom Izzo provides so much value to the state of Michigan and to Michigan State that coming up with his true value is difficult,” athletic director Mark Hollis said. “If Tom Izzo had left the state, it would’ve been like LeBron James leaving Cleveland – it would’ve been a blow – because he’s one of our icons who is from here and stayed here.”

Izzo has won a national title and six Big Ten titles at MSU.

Associated Press

Grandpa McCoy can take a hit

NFL: No wonder Colt McCoy doesn’t fear blitzes and appears to be tougher than he looks.

He takes after his rugged grandfather.

Cleveland’s rookie quarterback said Thursday that his 78-year-old grandfather, Burl McCoy, is home recovering from a broken sternum, ribs and facial cuts suffered when his tractor flipped over last week while he was working on the family farm in Brownwood, Texas.

The elder McCoy was transporting a gate when the tractor overturned, throwing him off the vehicle and under it. Burl McCoy got up, managed to turn off the tractor and walked back to his house before calling for emergency help.

He was discharged on Wednesday.

“He’s a tough ol’ man,” McCoy said. “He’s going to be fine. I talked to him and he said he’s cool. ‘Don’t worry about me, just do what you do.’ ”

Associated Press

Outdoors blog keeps an eye out

Outdoors: The newspaper’s outdoors coverage is taking a giant leap into real time with an Outdoors blog.

Rich Landers – who’s been covering outdoors topics ranging from birdwatching and hiking to hunting, fishing and conservation – is filing news, updates and insights as they happen.

The blog complements other outdoors coverage, including Landers’ Thursday outdoors column and Sunday features plus the Friday Hunting-Fishing report by Alan Liere.

Check it out at spokesman.com/blogs/ outdoorsblog/